OK folks, this season’s Real FA Cup is officially over. Curtains. The last non-league side is out … and few genuinely small clubs remain, in fact only Notts County really, if they still exist when you read this. We’ll keep an eye on the rest of the tournoi, and might even comment, but that is essentially it for us for this season so it’s time to find out who this year’s winners are and celebrate the season that was.

Winning is most definitely relative in our world, of course, but who are this year’s FA Cup winners? Well, we are, AHHHHH, as you good, good people have ‘hit’ us nearly 18,000 times since August! 400 of you even follow our additional ramblings on Twitter. And 1200 of you took the time to vote in our polls over the course of the season (yes, we’re surprised at that amount too), although in this round of voting most of you appear to have been Wealdstone or Ilkeston fans. Ah well, such is the problem with online Polls.

We wish we had some rosettes, a stage and a guest speaker for this bit. If we did, our rosettes would be blue, our stage would be at salubrious music venue the Borderline and our guest speaker would be Dartford’s Camp Café Host (see Darts/Clarets match report) LINK HERE

Best Player: This was a fairly well populated category, a number of players have caught our wandering and fickle eye. Sanchez Ming of Dulwich Hamlet was our MoM against Sevenoaks, although clearly not his manager’s as he only made the bench for the replay. Marcel Jones of Enfield 1894 impressed us against Broxbourne with his dancing feet. Jack King of Farnborough, Ryan Ashe of Wealdstone and Danny Forrest of Crawley all impressed with, respectively, their style, passing and energy. Actually, all of them could also get the nod for their shooting and reading of the game. Sam Duncum of Ilkeston deserves more than a mention for scaring the bejaysus out of Cambridge defenders, even when his team were second best for large chunks of the game.

For us, however, Danny Kedwell of AFC Wimbledon probably put in the best all round shift that we saw during the Cup run, rarely does one man’s performance and effort epitomise a team’s but his did. However, Danny only came third in the online poll while the winner garnered 52% of the vote to second place Sam Duncum’s 39%. The winner scored two cracking goals against then League 2 high flyers Rotherham and we’re overjoyed to announce that Wealdstone playmaker and all round good guy, Ryan Ashe, is the 2010 Real FA Cup Player Of The Season!

Best Game: This wouldn’t have been easy for us to choose because we saw quite a few good games, to be fair. Enfield and Broxbourne gave us some great passing that belied their status in the pyramid. Ashford Town (Middx) and Hendon served up a corking finale and penalty shoot out. Farnborough and Hastings was a great summery day out and quite a battle. Dartford and Chelmsford was a funny, drunken day out but with the added bonus of a cracking game, loads of goals and a ridiculous missed sitter. The aforementioned Danny Kedwell served up a treat at Kingsmeadow where Crawley should have been 2 goals to the good but then got humped by ten man AFC in the second half.

But the award goes to the team who managed to mobilise the most fans to vote, again, we said cynically but with tongue in cheek. It was a very decent game, it had a good atmosphere, it had as many fans as you are likely to see down the Vale, it had some cracking goals, a cameraman perched on the roof and a sublime chip from Real FA Cup interviewee and Player Of The Season, Ryan Ashe. What more could you want? A cupset would have been nice but let’s not be picky. 2010 Real FA Cup Game Of The Season is Wealdstone 2 Rotherham 3.

A few more esoteric awards before we go on. Best Ice Cream goes to Farnborough, so big we took a photo of it and it’s become our most linked-to photo via Google!?!? Best Miss goes to Rob Edmans of Chelmsford City, so bad we devoted a whole article to it. Best Burger was at Wembley FC, so cheap we thought it was wrong – and it was served by the oldest couple we’ve ever seen working a football tea bar. Fair play to you folks. Weirdest question goes to the hooded chav in Dartford who asked us if we were actors. Oddly, one of us is.

Best Ground: We have loved Dulwich Hamlet’s main stand and massive bar for a couple of years now, we enjoyed the ambience and tradition of Hampton & Richmond Borough’s quaint and homely patchwork stands (not to mention its local boozers) and we were intrigued by the big ideas of Farnborough’s electronic scoreboard and massive new stand. We were also baffled by Sevenoaks’ strange see through fence and overlooking hill that rendered paying entry almost pointless for anyone wanting to watch the game. We did pay, though. We foolishly left in an ‘other’ option on this vote and feared an influx of Wealdstone fans might swing this one too but, no, only the enthusiastic Ilkestonites chose to big up their New Manor Ground. But it wasn’t enough.

As a model of how to go about building a new non-league ground, it is our opinion that you cannot get much better than a ground that provides basic shelter for proles and toffs alike, has an iconic piece of artwork, a quote from Big Ron, a decent bar and a good view. The ground might have been built with a bit of money but the club and architects did not just go for size, they also made sure it packed in some enviro cred and some decent aesthetics for the whole crowd. The winner, of course, is the much vaunted Princes Park, home of Dartford FC. This would have been our choice too so congrats.

That’s three quarters of the Polls catered for, only one left. But there are a few other mentions we think are deserved. These are not necessarily teams who we’ve seen but teams who have been talking points in the wider football community over the course of the early FA Cup rounds. Firstly, we have to mention Paulton Rovers. They got a fair way in glorious fashion before serving themselves up as fodder for the Canary revival. Staines deserve a mention for running Millwall close and Northwich similarly for slaying Charlton. Both these teams provided some mid season cheer for fans and pundits alike. A final thought for Ashford Town of Middlesex who not only suffered the agony of FA Cup penalty defeat to Hendon but also suffering another shoot out defeat only a week later, grim!

There were also quite a few teams who went a long way, in relative terms. A few managed to play in 4 or 5 rounds of the FA Cup and, although there are a few teams who could better that in the continuing FA Cup, the odds on Leeds or Southampton getting to the semi finals are, we would have thought, fairly slim. The eventual winner of the FA Cup will have played in 6 rounds and it is well worthwhile putting the 6 round achievement in context. Two teams have already done that so, in all ways but lifting the actual cup or beating the best teams in the country, heh, two teams have already ‘won’ the Cup. Lowestoft Town started in the Preliminary Round and got to the 1^st Round proper for the first time in 32 years, where they only just lost to Wrexham. Belying the notion that the Cup is dead, Lowestoft’s attendances outmuscled their league attendances in every round except the Preliminary Round, a stage they’ve passed in 6 of the last 7 seasons so maybe the fans are getting a bit laissez faire about it. In the 3rd qualifying round they tripled their average attendance and it was around double for most of the run!

Actually, Lowestoft share this magnificent honour with another team who played in 6 rounds but this team played in more games and also have the distinction of being the last team to get knocked out who started right from the very start in the Extra Preliminary Round. This team didn’t really endear themselves to us early on – and indeed us to them. Firstly, we got them confused with the Mighty Ducks, our honest, careless, preview mistake. SORRY. Then we laughed at their central defender who had a hilariously bandaged head before the game had even started. During the game they were dogged but unconvincing and got out of jail with a barely deserved late equaliser. We then bottled traversing the Chilterns and the Aylesbury Vale to get to the replay, which we still regret.

Aylesbury started the FA Cup at the same time we did, at the very start, and got to the heady heights of the 4^th Qualifying round, so we now have a soft spot for them. They got further than any other team except Lowestoft and played 9 (Nine) games, which is unlikely to be beaten in this year’s Cup. As much as any team in this tournament will win the cup, Aylesbury can perhaps quantitatively say, they have already.

Most Helpful Club: This is perhaps a wishy washy award but also a qualitative counterpoint to the quantitative win of Aylesbury. Our winners here are a very lowly side but, before we get to them, a special mention must go to Howard Krais and Wealdstone, Andy Walker and Wembley and AFC Wimbledon. But, for amusingly pandering to our burgeoning ego by describing us as ‘media partners’, and for being encouraging, helpful and generous, this accolade goes specifically to Martyn Guest. and Richard Mann but more generally to BASILDON UNITED!

I am, myself, going to vomit as I tell you that all these teams, fans and players are WINNERS of this year’s real FA Cup. [wipes bile from lips] It’s true though, all of these things mean the Cup is great. They involve, largely, experiences we could not have had at Premier or Championship games, nor, most likely, at League 1, 2 or Blue Square Premier games. However, objectively, we have noted, you have voted and, overall, your team of the tournament winners are:

1. Wealdstone 53%
2. Aylesbury 27%
3. Lowestoft Town 7%
4. Forest Green Rovers 4%

That is more or less it from us on the FA Cup for this season, the ingrates of the top two tiers can have their version of the Cup, the one they think is devalued, the one they have devalued, yet the one they think they own. We say ‘they’ but it is also ‘their’ fans and the hacks who do it down. It’s also us and other fans. We all seem to moan about viewing unglamorous ties, yet fans don’t turn up when Premier Lge plays Premier Lge. Even when there is an upset these days (Reading over Liverpool, Leeds over Man Utd), the media emphasis is always on the failings of the higher team, it is very rare that the achievement of the underdog is celebrated. It MUST be the failure of the ‘better’ team.

As self-righteous and pompous as that most obviously is, without the teams from the top two tiers the Cup would arguably be nothing. They are the teams that the non-league teams strive to face. However, what THEY constantly forget is that without the little teams the FA Cup is just the Carling Cup – and THEY wouldn’t want that now, would THEY? Without the big boys the FA Cup is just the FA Trophy or FA Vase and the little guys wouldn’t want that, would they?

AFC Wimbledon 3 Crawley Town 1

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to old fashioned, exciting cup football, it’s been here all along. A breathless FA Cup tie at Kingsmeadow, witnessed by 2467 lucky souls, saw AFC Wimbledon defy a one man deficit for 45 minutes to achieve a trip across London in 10 days time to take on League One high flyers Millwall. therealfacup’s collective pens and cameras are still smoking, RSI all round from capturing notable incident.

Terry Brown named an unchanged side and, perhaps surprisingly, kept faith with Ricky Wellard in midfield after his rather dismal FAIL in the first game. Steve Evans made one forced change with the injured Rents giving way to Karl Broadhurst. therealfacup named a 2 Burger Brunch, Beef & Mash and a Mega Breakfast as pre-match meal and washed it down with some Deuchars in AFC’s well appointed bar.

Game On.

It started at breakneck speed, flowing from end to end like one of those executive toys where a set of balls on strings bounce endlessly off each other backwards and forwards. Tortured analogies aside, Crawley had not won away since the middle of August while the Wombles had lost their last two home games, both sides seemed hell bent on changing that and providing cup magic.

Pullen’s kicking was as bad as it was at the start of the previous game. His third kick hit the spot and was greeted with an ironic cheer from his own fans, his fourth got an even bigger one. The game carried on in the same vein but without clear chances, AFC provided the extra urgency their manager had requested. In the 14th minute the ball fell to Main about 25 yards out. He took a touch, picked his spot beyond the keeper and placed the ball into the left hand corner off the right hand post.

AFC Wimbledon 1 Crawley Town 0

Ricky Wellard was repaying his manager’s faith with an assured performance sprinkled with fine passes. Pinault and Forrest were doing the same for Crawley while both forward lines looked busy and sharp and both defences looked a bit shaky.

For the next 15-20 minutes it was bonkers. AFC thought they’d sprung the offside trap, the lino thought otherwise and saved Rayner’s blushes as he miskicked a clearance. Crawley scythed through the centre of AFC’s defence twice in quick succession but Pullen saw the danger and was off his line smartly to stifle the attacks. A bout of scrappy head tennis in the AFC box ended with a good Pullen save from a Forrest shot. A cross too shallow for the ‘keeper was expertly dealt with by Saturday’s scorer Sam Hatton.

Crawley were being direct and purposeful and started to edge the possession and threat. Forrest was switching sides and Duncan was booked for a clumsy tackle on him out wide. Forrest fired a warning shot, Pullen saved. The AFC centre backs then got dragged out of position and Forrest spotted the gap, played the ball inside the full back, who was caught in two minds, while Louis raced round the back and through on goal. He took a couple of touches, gave Pullen ‘the eyes’ and tucked the ball past him (left).

AFC Wimbledon 1 Crawley Town 1

We noticed that Haydon Womble was nowhere to be seen. No crowd pleasing touchline gimmicks this year? Where was the wheelie bin? No horns today.

Crawley were still in the ascendancy and the AFC fans saw it, “Get into ‘em, fuck ‘em up” came the rallying cry. Forrest’s movement was causing trouble on both flanks, Duncan dealing with him slightly the better of the two full backs. The spell of possession only harvested one real chance for Ben Smith who found himself in the area with just Pullen to beat. He did but also beat the post when he should have done better. Crawley need to find a striker, only 4 or 5 Blue Square sides have scored fewer.

AFC relieved the pressure and in the 3 or 4 minutes before half time, several crosses came in and were glanced away by a red head. Main shot at Rayner’s legs and the Red Devils’ fans sung for the keeper to give them a wave. Charged up to retain momentum, Duncan launched an ugly two footed challenge and got his second yellow. Disaster for AFC, down to ten men and a whole half to weather the inevitable storm. Main was sacrificed for Paul Lorraine and Kedwell was now the lone striker looking to add to his 12 goals this season. But it was half time and now Terry Brown had to pull his troops together.

HT AFC Wimbledon 1 Crawley Town 1

Pause for breath … … … … and continue.

The half started with Hatton blasting over from a Welland free kick and for five minutes the ball flew from end to end. No let up then? No. Gradually the man advantage started to tell, although it was the disadvantaged side doing the telling.

Kedwell must have been given some loopy juice at half time, he led the line brilliantly, harrassed defenders, chased everything, held the ball up and sprayed balls wide to the flanks. He was being supported well by the midfield and the 10 men were really giving it a go. Even on the break, as they were now having to play, Crawley were unconvincing. Only one team seemed to want to win it, or Crawley were waiting for AFC to tire.

Another out-ball was held up well by Kedwell on the right, he beat the fullback on the outside and whipped over a cross that was touched back to Luke Moore who tucked it in the corner. Moore headed for the touchline, sliding on his knees (left) towards the home fans. The crowd went mental and it was no less than they and the players deserved. Now, would they sit back or just carry on playing as they had been?

AFC Wimbledon 2 Crawley Town 1

It was the former. Crawley had been shocked into action, AFC sat back and, 10 minutes later, had barely seen the ball but had brilliantly repelled almost everything. What they missed Louis headed wide or had blocked on the line. The only downside was an awkward landing under pressure for Pullen that resulted in a twisted ankle. He carried on with a kicker but was on his line for the rest of the game.

In the 74th minute AFC finally relieved the pressure when Hatton raced on to a lofted Wellard pass but was tackled as he was about to shoot. Corner. Indeed three corners in succession, the final one saw the ball girl blast the ball into the box to the corner taker, much to the amusement of the crowd. She looked really bored, god knows why, the game was riveting. AFC regrouped and, oddly, it was largely down to Crawley switching to three at the back, which meant AFC had less defenders to hit with the out ball and Kedwell had to work less hard to retrieve them. Forrest had also been bafflingly withdrawn after about an hour. Tactical cock up from Steve Evans we thought.

The crowd responded to the pressure release and were now trying their best to see their boys through the last 15. “We’ve only got ten men” came regularly and “I can’t help falling in love with you” got cranked up. Crawley were getting sloppy, desperate and narked, Kedwell was getting leggy but still chasing everything.

Another AFC corner and this time the ball girl took a purposeful slow walk to the corner flag and neatly placed the ball in the quadrant. Someone had been giving her sarcasm lessons. The crowd cheered. The corners were cleared. Bar a looping header that bounced off the top of Pullen’s bar, the occasional Crawley foray produced little. With 90 minutes nearly up, AFC looked like they’d done it. They took the ball into the corner and, perhaps inadvisedly, crossed. Rayner came too far, fumbled, and Kedwell was there (left) to crown his MoM performance with the 3rd and final goal.

FT AFC Wimbledon 3 Crawley Town 1

One can only wonder what Terry Brown said at half time and where that performance came from but we’re glad we braved the Waterloo-Norbiton sardine tin on wheels. Without intending to get too political, this is the real Wimbledon. A fantastic game and a fantastic advert for the FA Cup. £13 for that fayre was fantastic value. FANTASTIC.

OK non-league folks, you’re off to BIG school and with this poll we’re going to try to keep it real. Rather than voting for the tie you WANT us to go and see, you should vote for the ties you DON’T WANT us to go and see. Maybe that tie includes your local rivals, maybe you just don’t like a particular team or you think they don’t deserve some extra visitors and extra coverage? The tie with the least votes wins and therealfacup is heading that way. In the event of a draw, bribes or good banter wins Click below to vote or go to the poll on the right.

Our theory is that the league teams can sway a positive vote with a larger fan base so we’re trying to even it up for the non-league sides. This may not work so bare with us with this experiment – and please let us know what you think. And apologies if your club isn’t on the list, maybe next time.

As the voting in our poll might have suggested, the AFC fans were up for this, their end packed to the rafters 10 minutes before kick off. The home stands were more sparse in comparison but Crawley had handed out some subtle air horns, replete with red and white patchwork Croatia colours, presumably to engender atmosphere. If atmosphere is several dozen kids annoying the world with the sound of sheep being tortured then there was indeed some atmosphere.

The game kicked off in a slight but miserable drizzle, the ground resplendent in red and with one more stand than Championship Blackpool. Of the 2,204 fans in the mostly covered ground, nearly half must have been AFC and they made the early noise.

Their team, however, didn’t. It took them about 20 minutes to really get in to the game, by which point Crawley had already had a few half chances. The best of these was a lovely move of quick, incisive passing and lay offs that carved open AFC but Pinault shot weakly past the post.

Then, Crawley deservedly took the lead after some scrappy play around the penalty box, the ball dropped to Forrest who took it almost to the byline before smiting the ball (left) with such force that Pullen’s hand could only deflect it further up into the net. Still, he shouldn’t have been beaten from there.

Crawley Town 1-0 AFC Wimbledon

The first real AFC penetration saw Kedwell slip past the full back down AFC’s left, the cross was too near the keeper but at least some questions were being asked of the at last. AFC’s touch was letting them down, they struggled to cope with the wet slippery pitch.

The game was very quiet around the middle part of the half, only Louis’ turn inside the right excited but Conroy recovered with a great tackle on the edge of the box before the follow up was blocked. This action was right in front of the sleeping AFC fans and a few songs started up again and the sun properly came out. This, ironically, brought a fairly audible “We forgot that you were here” from the Crawley end, to which the predictable “Who the fuckin’ hell are you” was batted back. This was more like it, a bit of banter tennis and the game was livening a little.

AFC had been building up a nice head of steam without really creating much of a chance until a corner and then cross were half cleared to the edge of the box where Sam Hatton picked as perfect a spot inside the post (left and below right) as you are likely to see. Simon Rayner in the Crawley goal appeared unsighted by the red statues parked in front of him.

Crawley Town 1-1 AFC Wimbledon

There was just about enough time left of the half for Ben Smith to exquisitely chip Rayner, after the whistle had gone. This earned him a predictable yellow card and a slightly harsh round of “Who are ya?” from the AFC fans stood but yards away.

Half time saw a keepy uppy competition featuring a fan from each side. The AFC youth was probably about 18 and ungainly but effective. The Crawley lad was about 10 but with eyebrow raising technique. He won, he was always going to but probably deserved it.

It’s very difficult for therealfacup to contextualise these games and performances, we’ve not seen most of these teams play and if we have it’s not often. That said, this Crawley side was much better than the one we saw capitulate here 12 months ago to Havant & Waterlooville. And, similarly, AFC were playing much worse than they did when we saw them at around the same time against Wycombe, even if the scoreline was a little unflattering back then.

The second half was largely about James Pullen in the AFC goal. In the opening exchanges of the half he kicked too long for his forwards to chase and berated himself heavily. That glimpse of honesty was picked up by the Crawley fans who spent a while teasing him with a slow chorus of “You’re shit, you’re shit”. A minute or two later, Forrest was played through the middle of AFC’s defence, shot low to Pullen’s left and the ‘keeper reacted brilliantly, arcing low to his left and tipping past the post. As good a save as you’ll see this season.

In the 54th minute everyone was caught on the hop when Louis held the ball up 30 yards out and surprisingly unleashed a rasping drive that missed Pullen’s right post by no more than a foot, with the keeper nowhere.

The Crawley fans now upped the banter ante with “Pullen takes it up the arse” but this coincided with a good period for AFC. Main hit the outside of the post after robbing the fullback while Luke Moore jinked past a few players without really threatening the goal with a shot of note.

On 67 a punt upfield was held up well by Louis, who touched square to Ben Smith. Smith took a weighted touch that shoved him knife-like through the AFC midfield and pushed a pass through to Forrest, who curled a perfectly weighted shot (left) first time but narrowly wide of Pullen’s left post.

It was really starting to look like someone would win this with 12 minutes to go. Sadly, almost nothing happened between then, the 72nd minute, and the 87th minute. The only attack of note in that time was when Main flicked the ball past Crawley skipper Quinn and Kedwell raced clear before firing disappointing high into the side netting.

However, James Pullen then decided to liven up the final 5 minutes by sparking a large melee. Pullen was clearly clattered (above right) claiming a cross but took exception with a downward push to the side of Forrest’s head. The usual bout of push/separate/shove/shrug/pointy finger action ensued but the only place it threatened to boil (left) over was the stand behind Pullen’s goal. Pullen’s goal received several of the airhorns that Crawley had been giving out prior to the game. Poor show from the Crawley fans, although fairly innocuous and slightly comedic, as can be seen from the photo below right. WTF? Nice rack though.

As this all happened down the end housing the Crawley fans and the AFC chaps couldn’t really see what was going on, except a rush of stewards forming a line behind Pullen’s goal. “Pikeys, Pikeys, Pikeys, Pikeys” was the first response, swiftly followed by “Crawley is a shit hole”. Pullen could not have complained if he’d got red but he was unfortunate to be the only player carded.

Final Score:

Crawley Town 1 AFC Wimbledon 1. MOM Forrest (Celebrating below).

A good bit of banter, a fair result and a half decent, if patchy, game, although the Crawley fans on the way out seemed to think they were the better side. A slightly rose tinted view if you ask us, it was more akin to their meeting a few weeks ago where the result was the same. AFC can obviously play better and are likely to win the replay to seal an away game against fellow Londoners Millwall. That should be fun, maybe we’ll go?

Cheers folks, 110 votes is the most we have had in one of our polls. Clearly, the vast majority were either Crawley or AFC Wimbledon fans which is, I guess, not entirely surprising as they have bigger followings than the vast majority of the other teams in the poll. 

So, anyway, thanks again to all who voted and if your team lost and you’re going to the game, maybe you can write a report for us.

Otherwise, we shall be kicking the party off at around midday at a bar to be decided …

Crawley 0 Havant & Waterlooville 3
Attendance 1,253
Price £13

We got there just in time and with only just enough money to get in. The announcer said there were 187 H&W fans in the crowd, a far cry from the thousands that went to Anfield last year. It would seem the romance isn’t as strong near Gatwick as it is on Merseyside. A guy standing next to us asked a mate “Where’s Bill”? “At home. He refused to pay £13.” I wonder if Bill said that when they went to Anfield? Let’s not forget that here Havant are actually playing a team still some divisions above them in the pyramid. The romance of drawing Kerry Katona in 4th prelim this year appears to have been somewhat spoilt for H&W fans by flirting with Heidi Klum last year.

The Hawks fans that did make it were in good voice and “Dirty northern bastards” was a hackneyed but witty favourite. Surely they can’t fit Havant & Waterlooville into a song? No, they can’t, instead they sing ‘Havantville’ in one song and another where they repeat “Havant, Havant Havant” and then shout “LOOVILLE”. For their part the Crawley fans bought mainly silence and left their hilariously pathetic attempt at riling the Hawks fans with a Pompey chime until they were 3-0 down. Losers.

H&W’s defence was immense, the midfield terrier like and the lone forward a willing runner. They were under pressure early on but it was a very even first half that ended 0-0 with some neat passing, a few long shots but few chances. At half time we needed grub but had no cash. The steward told us the pub over the roundabout had a cash machine so we took a ticket and went. Like much of Crawley both pub and machine were broken and the clientele as transient as the nearby airport. We trudged back and, just as we walked behind the stand we’d been in, a ball came over, presumably from an errant substitute’s warm-up shot. I wasn’t going to miss this chance, like an excited child I rushed to the ball first and drop kicked it perfectly back into the ground. Yes!

Crawley were awful for a side on the brink of the league and, at the time, joint top of that league. Simpemba, one of H&W’s towering centre backs, headed in the opening goal and then Crawley’s most constructive player, Thomas Pinault, showed some gallic hot headedness and got himself sent off with a Cantona-style lunge at a H&W player who appeared to actually be on the floor getting treatment – might have imagined this bit but it seemed the funniest of the five red cards we’d seen so far. Simpemba headed an almost identical second and someone else scored to make it a very comfortable 3-0 win for H&W. On the way out I heard a fan excitedly proclaim “it’s happening again”. He was feeling the romance still but, sadly for H&W, the players weren’t. The fickle mistress of the FA Cup dumped them in the next round and started seeing some other non-league hopeful.

And now it’s time for Sports Report. “Northwich .v. Telford, match abandoned at half time due to floodlight failure”. Woohoo, we dodged a bullet there, £70 and 12 hours saved. However, we vowed we would make up for not going to it by making sure we went to every game from now on and go to an extra game. And we’re on the highlights of the 3rd goal too, just behind the goal, laughing at the 1000 dismal Crawley fans.